Jaguars will turn to second-year pro Parker Washington to replace injured Christian Kirk

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — The Jacksonville Jaguars will finish another season without receiver Christian Kirk.

If this one goes like the last one, coach Doug Pederson and general manager Trent Baalke could be out the door.

Kirk will miss the rest of the season after breaking his left collarbone in a 30-27 loss to the Green Bay Packers, coach Doug Pederson confirmed Monday. Pederson said Kirk had surgery earlier in the day and will be placed on injured reserve.

“Unfortunate. Trying to make a play late, landed on it and linebacker landed on him,” Pederson said. “Tough for him, tough for us. He'll pull through.”

Kirk missed most of the final six games of 2023 with a core muscle injury that required surgery. The Jaguars went 1-5 in those.

Now, with Jacksonville (2-6) on the verge of being eliminated from playoff contention again, Pederson will turn to second-year pro Parker Washington to replace Kirk beginning with Sunday’s game at Philadelphia (5-2).

A sixth-round draft pick out of Penn State in 2023, Washington has 22 catches for 199 yards and two touchdowns in two seasons. He also returned a punt 96 yards for a touchdown against New England last week and returned a kickoff 73 yards to set up a score in the preseason.

“He did some great things, a player that has proven that he can do it," Pederson said. "So we have a lot of confidence moving forward that he can fill that role, fill that spot.”

Jacksonville has dropped 11 of its last 14 games, a stunning collapse after opening 8-3 last year. Slow starts, costly mistakes, failing to deliver in crunch time and one of the worst pass defenses in franchise history have been the main contributors.

Kirk’s injury was a significant setback down the stretch in 2023, too. Washington wasn't quite ready to fill the void as a rookie. He might be now.

“Something that we preach is just to stay ready because you just never know when your number is going to be called,” quarterback Trevor Lawrence said. “This could be the week for some of those guys, and I have faith in those guys and how they can play.”

Despite two turnovers, Lawrence played well for the fourth consecutive week. He completed 21 of 32 passes for 308 yards, with two touchdowns, an interception and a fumble. He also ran for a score.

He's completed 72% of his passes over the last four weeks for 1,106 yards, with seven TD passes and three INTs.

Jacksonville’s defense crumpled down the stretch for the fourth time in eight games. The Jags stacked the box on a second-and-6 play from the 34 with a little more than a minute to play and got burned over the top for a 51-yard connection from backup quarterback Malik Willis to receiver Jayden Reed.

It was reminiscent of late defensive meltdowns against Miami in the season opener, at Houston in Week 4 and against Indianapolis in Week 5.

Left tackle Walker Little made his first start of the season and held up well in place of Cam Robinson. The Jaguars could turn to Little the rest of the way, especially if Robinson ends up getting traded. Robinson, 29, is in the final year of a three-year, $52.75 million contract.

Defensive lineman Arik Armstead continues to be one of the most disappointing free agents in franchise history. The 31-year-old Armstead managed one tackle in a season-low 23 snaps against the Packers. He signed a three-year, $43.5 million contract that includes $28 million guaranteed and has 11 tackles.

Kirk's injury will open the door for Elijah Cooks, Joshua Cephus or Austin Trammell to get called up from the practice squad. Pederson said rookie WR Brian Thomas Jr. has a bruise on the left side of his chest and his availability will be based on “how much can he tolerate.” WR Gabe Davis lost feeling in his shoulder but should be fine. CB Ronald Darby (hip) and guard Ezra Cleveland (hamstring) are considered day to day. Veteran S Andrew Wingard (knee) is expected to be activated from IR this week and could start against the Eagles.

4 — Number of consecutive losses to Philadelphia. The Jaguars have been outscored 115-59 in those games.

It’s time for the Jaguars to start looking ahead to 2025: what changes need to be made, and which players need to be evaluated.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Jacksonville Jaguars' Christian Kirk runs past Green Bay Packers' Xavier McKinney after a catch during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Jacksonville Jaguars' Trevor Lawrence congratulates Brian Thomas Jr. after a touchdown catch during the second half of an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson watches during the first half of an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Teammates cheer as Jacksonville Jaguars' Parker Washington (11) falls into the endzone for a 96-yard touchdown on a punt return during the first half of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in London. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

Jacksonville Jaguars' Christian Kirk runs past Green Bay Packers' Keisean Nixon (25) after a catch during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Green Bay Packers' Jaire Alexander breaks up a pass intended for Jacksonville Jaguars' Parker Washington during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

SEATTLE (AP) — Authorities, including the FBI, were investigating Monday after early morning fires were set in ballot drop boxes in Portland, Oregon, and in nearby Vancouver, Washington, where hundreds of ballots were destroyed.

The Portland Police Bureau reported that officers and firefighters responded to a fire in one ballot drop box at about 3:30 a.m. and determined an incendiary device had been placed inside. Multnomah County Elections Director Tim Scott said a fire suppressant inside the drop box protected nearly all the ballots; only three were damaged, and his office planned to contact those voters to help them obtain replacement ballots.

A few hours later, across the Columbia River in Vancouver, television crews captured footage of smoke pouring out of a ballot box at a transit center. Vancouver is the biggest city in Washington's 3rd Congressional District, the site of what is expected to be one of the closest U.S. House races in the country, between first-term Democratic Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez and Republican challenger Joe Kent.

Clark County Auditor Greg Kimsey in Vancouver told The Associated Press that the ballot drop box at the Fisher’s Landing Transit Center also had a fire suppression system inside, but for some reason it wasn't effective. Responders pulled a burning pile of ballots from inside the box, and Kimsey said hundreds were lost.

“Heartbreaking,” Kimsey said. “It’s a direct attack on democracy.”

There were surveillance cameras that covered the drop box and surrounding area, he said.

The last ballot pickup at the transit center drop box was at 11 a.m. Saturday, Kimsey said. Anyone who dropped their ballot there after that was urged to contact the auditor’s office to obtain a new one.

The office will be increasing how frequently it collects ballots, Kimsey said, and changing collection times to the evening, to keep the ballot boxes from remaining full of ballots overnight when similar crimes are considered more likely to occur.

An incendiary device was also found on or near a ballot drop box in downtown Vancouver early on Oct. 8. It did not damage the box or destroy any ballots, police said.

In a statement, the FBI said it is coordinating with federal, state and local partners to actively investigate the two incidents. Anyone with information is asked to contact the nearest FBI office, provide information through tips.fbi.gov or call 1-800-CALL-FBI ( 800-225-5324 ).

Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs said the state would not tolerate threats or acts of violence meant to derail voting.

“I strongly denounce any acts of terror that aim to disrupt lawful and fair elections in Washington state,” he said.

Voters were encouraged to check their ballot status online at www.votewa.gov to track its return status. If a returned ballot is not marked as “received,” voters can print a replacement ballot or visit their local elections department for a replacement, the Secretary of State’s office said.

Washington and Oregon are both vote-by-mail states. Registered voters receive their ballots in the mail a few weeks before elections and then return them by mail or by placing them in ballot drop boxes.

In Phoenix last week, officials said roughly five ballots were destroyed and others damaged when a fire was set in a drop box at a U.S. Postal Service station there.

Christina A. Cassidy in Atlanta contributed.

This image released by the Portland Police Bureau shows a ballot box after an incendiary device was discovered inside, in Portland, Ore., Monday, Oct. 28, 2024. (Portland Police Bureau via AP)